PA-Breastfeeding Coalition Minutes of October 22, 2003 meeting

Present:
Members Present: Bernadette Anderson – Holy Spirit Hospital; Rosa Snyder-Boyd – CAS-WIC; Sue Majoris – Indiana Regional Medical Center; Theresa Wertner – Erie County WIC Program; Christy Zacchero – Medela, Inc.; Chris Mulford – PRO- LC; Milo Woodward – PA Dept. of Health –BFH; Ruth Wilf – Pennsylvania Hospital, Phila.; Helen Vermilya – Susquehanna Health System; Kathleen Romberger – Pinnacle Health System; Jeanne Spencer – Conemaugh Johnstown; Martha Kautz – Ephrata Community Hospital; Linda Shaw – PA AAP; Andrea Schappert – Maternal and Family Health Services; Kay Hoover – Philadelphia Dept. of Public Health: Wendy Shore – Memorial Hospital in York; Patricia Keister – York Hospital NICU; Eloise Gomola – Warren General, Healthy beginnings, Warren OB-GYN, WIC Sponsored Breastfeeding Coalition; Cindy Maki – WIC Program; Barbara Shocker – Penn State Hershey Medical Center; Kathie Wagner – Family Health Council of Central PA.

Corrections to minutes
January Conference call on 1-21-04 from 12 to 2. Call in #814-863-2330. If you have trouble connecting, call 814-863-1787. Please don’t eat a crunchy lunch during the call.

In Kind donations – Keep track and give to Rosa once(when you renew).

Kay – Philadelphia Dept. of Public Health

Quotations around theme “Babies were born to be breastfed.”
Minutes approved.

Sue Majoris – RN, IBCLC, ICEA, told the coalition about the pilot program at Indiana Hospital – The Mother Friendly Childbirth Initiative. It is designed as a blue print for maternal-child health focusing on 10 steps to change practices with a philosophy and premise that birth is normal in the mother’s life. Sue reported that her hospital is a level 1 with about 650 births a year. Sue outlined the steps (often difficult) in getting all staff to buy into this initiative. The nurses are now excited about making change happen even though change can be hard. Since the birth experience impacts the breastfeeding experience – both needed to be addressed. This initiative also reaches out to work places so that they can become models for mothers returning to work and allow flex time and a place to pump etc. Sue’s final comment – Keep an open mind should you ever want to take on this initiative.

Kathy Romberger gave the Treasurer’s Report - Total $2373.13.

No membership report.

Old Business: Martha Kautz passed out Human Milk Guidelines for the Nursery/NICU. She reported that the temps stated will not change. She made some changes under “Other” and “Feeding Management”. She wanted to keep it on one side in order to post in unit. Suggestions for changes were made and Jeanne asked if we (as a coalition) wanted to endorse these Guidelines. YES we do, so the final product will be available on our website, and mailed to hospital contacts etc. There was also a suggestion to put a ‘virgin container’ with the letter. Linda Shaw moved to approve the Guidelines. APPROVED.

Chris Mulford reported on the AD Council Project. They are still waiting for a launch date to air TV, radio and print ads. There will be a phone number to the Healthy Baby Hotline with a component for breastfeeding help. Cindy Maki reported that a position may be funded for a Breastfeeding Coordinator at the Dept. Of Health to oversee the hotline staff. The question was raised as to how we want the Coalition to interface with this. The response was that we could give contact names and invite people to apply for the job.

FYI – SHARING TIME
Sue – There are Wal-Mart catalogs with Lamaze Magazine that show pictures of formula. Mead Johnson is sponsoring a baby channel at hospital.

Barb – Website update: Suggested policies were to have been posted. The web master is not complying with our needs. A gift of $50 had been approved for him. Is doing BF classes at Babies R Us with as many as 12 couples sitting by the rocking chairs. At a recent PA Advocates for Nutrition and Activity presentation, breastfeeding was not mentioned and she asked why not. The residents at Penn State Hershey get 20-25 hours of Lactation instruction.

Theresa – Breastfeeding Training for hospitals in Erie with Cindy - 25 doctors were invited for a training over dinner on Nov. 7th.

Christy – As Medela Rep, sent letter to Doctors identify the importance of IBCLC since someone in her area was passing self off as one and charging for services. Will send letter to Jeanne to post.

Chris – PRO LC – ILCA chapter had a great conference partnered with NAN. The Ad council campaign is now a good time to review BF bill from 6 years ago which didn’t go anywhere at that time. We have to get behind it with stories of mothers who BF in public. Research Comm. Could look at it. Coalition involvement is needed for active support and enthusiasm from everyone!

Ruth – Maternity Care Coalition gives access to maternity care. Bright yellow vans – Mom mobile – looks for pregnant women to get prenatal care and help with other needs as they park near health centers. PA Hospital moms group is growing by leaps and bounds. The class is run by LCs. There is a group for dads too.

Helen – Conference during World BF Week was well received by staff – take to Family Practice residence program. Working with moms for reimbursement on pumps.

Kathy – In last 2 years Harrisburg Hospital has a new format for information to moms – a 3 ring binder. Did an educational blurb on breastfeeding and diabetes for the breastfeeding and pregnancy task force and will now do for the staff.

Bernadette – Breast Bytes are little tidbits placed around the floor. Skills day – competencies for breastfeeding.

Jeanne – County Coalition – BF week proclamation for first time with local TV coverage. Was on TV again for toxin and BF story. NRDC (National Resources Defense Council) Organization. Local LLL disbanded – no leader – working on support group. Going through FP board review questions with residents and learned something new—Enterohypatic.

Linda – In Altoona, PA AAP had a phone conference and want to do another one. There was no formula funding. Bon Secours closed OB unit (300 births) and will be scattered among other hospitals. Altoona Hospital has ‘lousy’ lactation support. Gave info. to Judy Berger about the Mother Friendly-Baby Friendly initiative. There is not much private practice in lactation. Outpatient lactation support is needed. (Carsons@PAHosp.com has store to self support lactation services,)

Cindy – Has power point presentation that can be given to Doctors. Passed around list for freebies. Shared some new flyers and will send CD. Has referral flyers for each county. Prenatal infant feeding options class. Healthy Beginnings Plus needs regional trainers—needs to get staff up to snuff. The Southwest corner has been trained. Telling nurses they can be more proactive with things to do to promote breastfeeding.

Martha – Management change at Ephrata. She is now head of Lactation Support Center. Dealing with a Pediatrician who is 20 years behind in his practice and thinks formula is the cure all for everything. She has ability to educate nurses. “Has anyone written a case study for a journal?”

Kathie – Staff in Somerset is now IBCLC. Shared article from NY Times on BF rates in Norway. (They receive a 10 month maternity leave with pay or a 12 month maternity leave at 80% pay.)

Andrea – Has 34 clinics at MFHS. Is scheduling nurses and visiting nurses for Breastfeeding Updates.

Kay – Division of Maternal and Family Health has father support handouts. Premature baby-skin to skin – is the standard of care in South Africa. Outpatient services in Melbourne admits to hospital for day to receive help with breastfeeding. AAP statement on diabetes on website. 19 hospitals down to 10 in city of Philadelphia. 3 purchased banked human milk. Looking at hypertension as a risk factor. Abstract – Sudafed, peppermint altoids, and sage decrease milk supply.

Wendy – Still taking baby steps. Breastfeeding bags are great and everyone loves them.

Patricia – York Hospital’s NICU had a baby with positive stools who had to stop BF and go to Alimentum.

Eloise – Warren County had a breastfeeding tent during Fair week with ice water, rocking chairs and diaper changing area. All programs that support BF are part of it. She has a patient who BF her first 3 children is struggling with 4th. Became a grandmother in August. Her granddaughter weighed 8.8 at birth and is now 15.9! The hospital where she was born had no standard of care.

Milo – When coalition began she was involved but new administration did not support. Maternal and Child Health is trying to be more pro-active with breastfeeding. May want to invite Calvin Johnson to a meeting.

COMMITTEE WORK REPORTS
Public Policy Committee – pump reimbursement; packet for parents and employers in Alleghany Co; Medela’s packet – are women having problems with BF in public?

Research Committee – Working on survey on BF in public. The first one was done in 1994 and this one will go out in 2004.

Provider Education – send letter to Beverly Gruber re: County Fair success in Alleghany Co. Fun idea for businesses – BF Friendly insurance company – get an award and publicity – put on our web site. Extra credit for employers and for pamphlets outlining Lactation services. Cigna in Philadelphia is mother friendly for employees but not for subscribers. PPO vs HMO. Gateway is shipping out a Pump is Style within 2 days. Part 2 of this idea is a letter to DOH on ‘Why Breastfeeding Matters’ and get them to send it out on their letterhead.

Jeanne’s parting quote as meeting is adjourned: The turn-around with breastfeeding in Norway was a grass roots effort by 1 woman.

Meeting Minutes Submitted by Kathie Wagner for Karen Foard